Kyiv hasn't yet confirmed organization of 2nd round of talks with Russia - Lavrov

MOSCOW. March 2 (Interfax) - Ukraine has not yet confirmed the organization of the second round of consultations with Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

"Our negotiators are prepared for the second round of discussing these guarantees with Ukrainian representatives. But again, just as it happened during the first meeting, the Ukrainian negotiators have not yet confirmed the holding of the second round. They'll drag it out. I think the Americans are not allowing them, too. Absolutely nobody believes in Kyiv's independence now," Lavrov said in an interview with Al Jazeera.

Asked whether any positive progress was visible during and after the first round of the talks, Lavrov said, "We aren't going into detail now, because this is only the initial phase, but the fact that the parties have agreed to meet for the second time shows that they're prepared to look for solutions. I've told you what our position is. The Ukrainian side is well aware of it," he said.